Sheave.



T. H. SKINNER.

SHEAVE.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 22, 190s.

Patented Dec. 1, 1908.

UNITED. STATES PATENTl OFFICE.

,THEODORE H; SKINNER, OF ONEIDA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO ONEIDA COMMUNITY,

LIMITED, ONEIDA, NEW

YORK, A 'CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

amava. i

Patented nec. 1, 190s.

To all whom t may concern:

-Be it known that I, THEODORE H SKIN- NER, of Oneida, in the county of Madison, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements 'in Sheaves, Vof which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a. full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in sheaves for link belts and other chain ork wire cables adapted to rest upon a sheave and involves the use of a cushion bearing of felt or other lubricant absorbent capable of yielding under the pressure. of the links and of simultaneously lubricating the same as they renderover or arounc the sheave.

My main object is to incorporate in the sheave a flexible annular bearing for the chain or similar cable whereby the links will automatically embed themselves into said bearing and thereby produce a positive drive of the sheave and at the same time to utilize the same flexible bearing as a means for lubricating the links of the chain to prevent undue Wear of the contact members. In other words, I have sou ht to produce a chain driven sheave or pu ley, which will be positively rotated by the chain Without the use of the usual sprocket teeth or metal littings for thev links and at the same time to render the chain or cable self-lubricating by contact kWith the sheave.

Other ob'ects and uses relating to specific parts of the sheave will be brought out in the following description.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is an end view of the sheave embodying the features of my invention. Fig. 2 isa sectional view taken on line 2 2, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is an end view similar to Fig. 1, with one of the sides`of the sheave removed showing the flexible annular bearing and a portion of a chain.l Fig. 4 is a. sectional view similar to Fig. 2 of a modified form of sheave and Fig. 5 is an end view of the same showing one of theend plates partly broken away.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, this sheave preferably consists of similar opposite circular side pieces lof metal and an in# yterposed flexible disk 2 of felt or other similar material capable of absorbing and retaining a lubricant as oil, said disks 1.- and 2- bein coaxial and clamped t0- gether by suitab e fastening means as bolts -disks `--10- and 3.- and are preferably provided with a central shaft opening -4- for receiving a shaft v-a.. The disks '-1- may "be made of metal,'lber or any other'materia'l capable of withstanding the strains to which the sheave is subjected, and are of somewhat greater diameter-than that of the interposed flexible disk 2 so as to form an intervening groove m5- atthe flexible disk for receiving a link belt or chain -6-- and holdin the latter against lateral displacement. T e periphery of the flexible disk -2- forms a cush1on or yielding bearing for the chain -6- and readily conforms to the shape of the links of said chain, permitting said links to embed themselves thereinto and causing a positive drive of the wheelsimilar to that of the sprocket wheel except that the sprocket teeth or other fixed link receiving forms are omitted. This disk -2- is preferably ysaturated with oil. or other lubricant and affords a direct means of lubricating the links of the ch-ain coming in contact therewith for the purpose of reducing friction and wear -upon the contact members to a minimum, said disk extending from the periphery to the shaft opening and serves also to lubricate the shaft or bearing for the sheave particularly when the latter is loosely mounted upon the shaft.

In Figs. 4 and 5, I have shown a sheave comprising opposite end and intermediate any other rigid material and a pair of flexible disks 12-- interposed between the in-y termediate disks -l0, said disks being clamped together by suitable fastening means as bolts -13-. In this instance, the intermediate disk -11- is provided on its periphery with sprocket teeth I4- for interlocking engagement with the links of the chain belt in the usual manner for sprocket. wheels for greater, power for driving the sheave or fpulley than would be possible with the use o the chain in direct contact with vthe flexible .bearing on the disk.` In this modified form of sheave shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the `peripheries of the disks ml2.-

Aform yielding bearings as well as lubricators vfor thelchain, said disks l2- being saturated With voil or other lubricant which is transmitted to the links of the chain as the latter travel around the periphery of the sheave or pulley.

The particular novelty of my invention,

periphery of the -11- of metal, fiber or v however, lies in providing the sheave with tive motion to the sheave or pulley while the lubricant which is contained'in the yielding bearing serves to lubricate the links of the chain and prevent wear thereof.

A sheave constructed in the manner described may be easily and quickly assembled' at a comparatively small cost and at the same time, the yielding bearing which obviates to a considerable extent the wear on the chain may be quickly and'easily replaced when worn and may be readily saturated with oil either before or after being placed in position in the sheave.

Another advantage of this cushionl bearing for the chain is that it readily shapes itself to the contour of thelinks of the chain so that When the chain is used in connection withsheaves of less diameter there is less liability of bending or deolming thelinks and at the same time the depressions made by the links afford a more positive grip of the chain upon the bearing to rotate the sheave with greater power and less liability of slipping. y I

In order that the felt disk 2 may be held more firmly against undue radial displacement by the pressure of the link belt formed with an annular rib -16- rojecting from its inner face, while the ot er disk -1- is formed with a corresponding annular groove -17, the Yrib -16- pressin the adjacent portion of the flexible dis -2- into the recess -17- to lock said disk against relative radial movement.

What I claim is:

1. A sheave for chain belts having a ilexible annular bearing for the chain and 00ntaining a lubricant ada ted tobe transmitted to thelinks of said c ain by contact with said bearing.

2. A sheave comprising a lubricant containing a disk of yielding material forming an annular belt bearing. v

3. A sheave composed of opposite end disks of rigid material, and an interposed.

disk of flexible material, said flexible containing a lubricant.

4. A sheave having a central shafto ening and composed of ri id end disks, an' an interposed flexible disk aving its periphery disk exposed for contact with the belt, and its inner face ex osed to the shaft opening for the purpose escribed.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 5th day of June 1908.

THEODORE H. SKINNER.

Witnesses:'

H. E. CHASE, CAROLINE MCCORMACK. 

